Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the EFL Cup match.
The two main strugglers in the Premier League after the first four rounds will clash at Goodison Park. Both teams are yet to earn a single point and have been conceding goals with concerning frequency. The League Cup presents an opportunity for both to regain some confidence.
Everton
In all five of their matches, the ball has found the back of the net at least three times. In four of those five cases, it was Everton conceding. Recently, they have also shown an ability to score. They netted three unanswered goals against Doncaster Rovers in the previous round of the Cup and scored twice against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, though it wasn’t enough to even secure a draw. With two mistakes already leading to goals, Everton's defence is far from organised.
Southampton
Southampton, meanwhile, have only managed one goal in four Premier League matches, and that came in the 94th minute when Brentford were already leading 3:0. At their goal the team has been far too accommodating. Excluding the match against Newcastle United, where they played most of the game with a man advantage, their opponents have created chances totaling 7.90 xG—roughly equivalent to the eight goals they have conceded. Everton’s average xG stands at 1.09.
Everton vs Southampton Prediction
Both teams are not very effective in attack, but their defensive issues are even more severe, so goals are likely to come from mistakes. Additionally, the coaches might rest some key players after facing tough opponents, giving more playing time to those who usually start on the bench. This will hardly stabilise their defences, making a high-scoring game very likely.
